Austin Asleep at the Wheel
A few weeks ago, after the Trump assassination attempt, we wrote about the lack of accountability at the White House and with whoever is running our country. Days later the head of the Secret Service stepped down. Not fired - but was allowed to resign.
There are so many people in the executive branch who should be fired, it seems like there is no one holding anyone to account. It appeared to us that the situation could not get much worse.
But the Biden Administration has outdone itself. Last week it was reported that terrorist mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two top associates, Walid Bin Attash and Mustafa al-Hawasawi, were offered a plea deal where they would admit guilt on all charges in exchange for no death penalty.
Hours later my blood was boiling as the execrable Karine Jean-Pierre told the sheep at the White House press corps that the President had no idea that the plea was being made. I naturally assumed that this was just another lie from KJP. Apparently, I was wrong! It seems like the President and perhaps even the Secretary of Defense was completely unaware that the plea deal had been reached and publicized.
The individual responsible for the deal was Susan Escallier, a retired career Army officer and attorney who was appointed to handle the Guantanamo War Court. By all accounts she had an exemplary record in her service in the Army, mostly in legal roles. And whatever your opinion on the plea deal, at least she got it done. KSM has been in US custody since March of 2003. There were several 9/11 victim’s families who were happy with the closure, even if it did not mean the ultimate punishment. The fact that these terrorists have still not been held to account is a national embarrassment that falls on all administrations.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was allegedly shocked to find out about the plea deal and immediately countermanded it and removed Ms. Escallier’s authority to make plea deals. Again, she was not fired.
This deal has been in the works for 27 months. If he was shocked, then there is something seriously wrong with Austin’s leadership. Keep in mind that this is the same Secretary of Defense that had a surgery shortly after the October 7th, 2023, attacks while his #2 was out of the country on vacation and didn’t tell anyone!
There are a few scenarios that are possible here.
1. Escallier was left completely unsupervised and never told anyone at the Department of Defense that she was engaging in this bombshell plea deal with America’s greatest living enemy.
2. Escallier tried looping Austin in, but he ignored her messages or requests for a meeting and therefore was unaware due to his own malfeasance.
3. Escallier told Austin, and he told her to go ahead and left her on her own, taking a wait and see approach as to how the story would play out in the press. Austin never told the White House.
4. Escallier discussed it with Austin, and he approved. He then told the White House. They all just disavowed Escallier when they saw the fallout.
Each of these scenarios is possible. All point to an Administration and a Secretary of Defense that is asleep at the wheel. The Secretary should be replaced at a minimum, this is his second serious error in judgement. Americans have a right to know what happened here. 9/11 for many is still an open wound for many and the deadliest attack in our country’s history. We as a country have a right to know what is going on with this still lingering case, and why this case of great national importance was allegedly left solely in the hands of a retired brigadier general.
The Biden Administration’s cavalier approach to this legal issue is an insult to the families torn by these vicious terrorists. It again shows that we are a country adrift. The ship of state is rudderless at best. What may be worse is that whoever is nominally in charge doesn’t seem to care.
Bobby’s Bear
On October 6th, 2014, I was working as the Manhattan Detective Borough Duty Captain on the day tour. Usually, a quiet day where I could get some work done. My case reviews were interrupted by a call from the Borough requesting I respond to Central Park for a dead animal.
I assumed it was some sort of Santeria scene where an animal was sacrificed. Such scenes are not uncommon in the Bronx but would certainly make a stir in more urbane Central Park.
I was quite surprised to find cops and detectives setting up a crime scene around a dead bear on a bike! A circus act gone wrong? Davy Crockett enthusiast doing some sort of reenactment? It simply just looked like someone struck the bear with their car upstate and thinking they could nurture the little guy back to health, put it in their car (which is a bad idea, but bad ideas are why we need the police to begin with). We assumed the bear died and the reluctant motorist, realizing he was in over his head just dumped the bear and fled. But that bike though?
Although newsworthy, the case was not important in the big scheme of police problems. The Central Park Detective Squad (yes that’s a thing) took the case and it fell off my radar. One more bizarre incident in a career full of them.
In all the speculation, no one ventured to guess that RFK Jr., future presidential candidate would be the culprit. I’m not even sure it’s a crime quite frankly. Regardless, it’s not a good look for a presidential candidate. Hopefully we move past this prank and get to talking about the issues facing our nation.
Thanks for reading The Ops Desk. Stay Safe!
WH is a sad state of affairs 🔥